


Shade of Bubbles

by Pfain Ryder (Cat_Moon)



Series: Angelfire Universe [21]
Category: Quantum Leap
Genre: Domestic Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-11
Updated: 2019-07-11
Packaged: 2020-06-26 13:15:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19768963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cat_Moon/pseuds/Pfain%20Ryder
Summary: Did Peter ever get that dog?





	Shade of Bubbles

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little Angelfire Fluff. Originally printed in Quantum Fire #7

Despite everyone's fears for me, the leaps had gotten better, easier to handle. Having my son as a regular visitor had done remarkable things for my morale, I had to admit. The joy of seeing him, of sharing some special time with my family, made up for all the rest.

Yeah, and them some.

And Peter himself was a joy. Full of life, happy and enthusiastic. You couldn't help being affected by him. Life was good.

This leap was a pretty simple one. I did have those occasionally, although it was easy enough to forget during the difficult ones. I was a lawyer who had to prove that my client wasn't guilty of embezzlement, that he'd been framed. With the inside information from the future that Al and Ziggy could provide, it was nothing a few quick errands couldn't accomplish. Of course the drawback was that this leap would provide less time for our visits. So we grabbed every chance we had.

We had all just finished playing a holographic video game Al had invented (the money from that would pay for Peter's college fund--not that he'd need one, with his I.Q they'd be begging to recruit him even if we'd been paupers). Peter had won the game. Not surprising, it was geared for young kids. The mutant dog from outer space had licked my player into oblivion, and Al had gotten caught by the dog catcher space ship. As the only player left, Peter won by default.

All these dogs on the brain lately suddenly made me wonder...

"Hey, did you guys ever get the dog you were supposed to pick out that day?" I asked. After a leap where a St. Bernard had saved my life on a frozen lake, Peter had decided he wanted a dog. I was all for it, but Al had been less enthusiastic.

Peter made a face I couldn't interpret. "Yeah."

"Well, where is he?" I demanded. I was kind of surprised no one had told me before, and I wanted to share everything I could with them.

As if expecting my request, or having prepared in advance, Peter hunkered down on the ground, his arms out. "Here Muffy...here boy."

"Muffy?!" I looked at Al incredulously.

Al shrugged, looking uncomfortable. "He was already named when we got 'em."

"Yeah, but _Muffy_?"

Suddenly, I heard scampering sounds. A moment later, a small, white poodle materialized in front of Peter, licking his face and yapping.

For a moment, all I could do was stare.

"A poodle?! You're kidding! You got our son a _poodle_?!" It was almost incomprehensible that macho Al would buy his male child such a...dainty pet.

"Well, yeah."

"Why?"

"Hey--what are you, prejudice against poodles?"

"Yeah, but...well, he's a rambunctious boy. I was thinking more in the lines of a St. Bernard or something, like Leo."

"Me, too," Peter said low. But then Muffy jumped up and licked his nose, and he laughed. I could tell, while he might not want to admit it, he liked his new companion.

Al shuffled defensively. "I just...don't think it's a good idea for a very young child to have a large dog as a pet. You read about things happening all the time. I wouldn't feel...comfortable."

"Yeah, but...you got our son a poodle!" I could feel the corners of my mouth turn up much as I tried to maintain my incredulous front. "I poodle named Muffy!" I continued dramatically, then burst out in laughter.

As Peter grabbed his blue collar, Muffy was visible once more. He sat back on his hind haunches and looked up at me, an enigmatic look.

"See now, you've hurt his feelings!" Al responded indignantly, bending over to pet the dog on its small head.

"I didn't know you spoke dog," I quipped, hunching down to dog level. It crossed my mind to wonder whose feelings I'd really hurt. "Sorry, Muffy." I didn't over-encourage him, thinking it might be disconcerting for him to try to jump on me and end up passing through me. "Nice to meet you." He yapped at me expectantly.

"Muffy says hi," Peter explained. "He likes you."

I was absurdly pleased. "I like him too."

"Alright, enough of this mushy-family stuff," Al stated in an overly neutral voice. Peter let go and the dog vanished. I was kinda glad, all that popping in and out was unsettling for me. I could imagine what the dog had felt. To his credit, he'd taken it calmly.

"Muffy's part of the family now," Peter told me, with a youngsters sense of seriousness.

"I know," I agreed, giving a smile to Al that he pretended to ignore. "And a fine addition he is." Suddenly I was struck with the wisdom of giving a small and vulnerable life to a rough and tumble boy. Maybe Al had ulterior motives. Like teaching a child how to be gentle. How to care for someone not as tough, and not look down on them for it. Compassion. I peered at Al suspiciously, but he'd paused to pull out a piece of artificial licorice and was all innocence.

Al??

...Nah.

**the end**

6/5/96

**Author's Note:**

> Title of this story comes from the poodle in "What Price Gloria?" whose name was Bubbles.


End file.
